This Week in Trinity: International Women’s Week

A week of education, championing women, and creative expression

In the quickest of flashes, Reading Week is nearly upon us again, with only one more term to go before this strange year draws to a close. Before checking out for study week, however, make sure to check out all Trinity has to offer us in celebration of International Women’s Week, which kicks off today. This week boasts a full itinerary of events, activities, and discussions hosted by DU Gender Equality Society (DUGES), DU Photography Association, and many others.

Starting off the week is a DUGES Girl, Code! coding workshop tonight at 5pm. For those of us in denial about the growing importance of coding as a career skill, this might be a good opportunity to take the plunge. If you’re an already-experienced coder, this is a chance to brush up on your skills, or to show off – both groups are welcome.

On Tuesday, DU Photography Association is hosting a Photoshop Tutorial workshop at 7pm – another handy ability to add to the repertoire. Also on Tuesday, The Hist panel discussion, Journalism in Times of Crisis, will explore the importance of quality journalism to democracy and the prevention of misinformation – something especially pertinent during a pandemic – and the age of social media. This will preface their weekly debate, held on Wednesday: This House Believes that Journalism is Failing Democracy.

Wednesday also brings a DUGES and Muslim Students Association collaboration. The societies will be holding a panel discussion at 7pm on the themes of Modesty, Body Image and Muslim Women, in which they will discuss the challenges of choosing to honour your religion in a society that often has a problematic relationship with women who dress modestly. Finally, QSoc-LGBT Trinity is hosting a Queer Art History Tour at the National Gallery of Ireland at 3pm on Wednesday. This will be a virtual tour through the National Gallery to explore the often erased or unseen history of queer art production in the canon of art and art history.

On Thursday, DUGES and DU Classical Society are hosting Redeeming Women in Myth, an event that explores the treatment of women in mythologies that often vilify and victimise female characters or confine them into the limitations of certain tropes. Think of how Hera, Queen of Olympus and wife of Zeus, tends to be depicted as the overbearing wife, rather than a woman putting up with a cheating and altogether idiotic husband. Also on Thursday, TCD Environmental Society is set to host their talk and panel discussion, Skin of Colour: Racial Inequity and Racial Inclusion in Health Care, at 7pm. The event will unpack the racial inequalities that persist in the healthcare system.

Friday brings a DUGES Women are Painting Workshop at 4pm, to give you an opportunity to find catharsis in art. To round off International Women’s Week, DUGES and LitSoc invite you to a femme fatale-themed Speakeasy on Friday evening at 8pm. Feminist Speakeasies speak for themselves; you’ll want to be there.

On the vein of creative expression, DU Film Festival 2021 is now open for submissions. DUFF is Ireland’s largest student-run film festival and there will be awards for a number of different categories. Visit their website for more information.

Remember to enjoy Women’s Week the best way you can, whether that be championing the women around you, or educating yourself on intersectional feminism. With all the resources for educating ourselves at our disposal, this week is sure to enlighten and inspire us all.